Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies
Published on: January 10, 2025
Long-term effect of systemic isotretinoin on female fertility
Salih Levent Cinar1, Demet Kartal1, Hüseyin Aksoy2
1a Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine , Kayseri , Turkey.
Background/Objective:
Acne vulgaris is one of the most common diseases of the youth. Systemic isotretinoin is the only drug which acts on all of the etiopathogenic mechanisms of acne. Isotretinoin has some well-known side effects. Besides these, there is a suspicion whether it affects fertility or not. Previously, we conducted a study about isotretinoin's effect on ovarian reserve which showed deteriorative reserve. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of systemic isotretinoin on female fertility.
Materials And Methods:
Of the 82 female patients who were enrolled in the first study, 79 patients were included in this study. Twelve months after the end of systemic isotretinoin treatment, patients were reevaluated by using the same parameters which include anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), ovarian volume (OV), antral follicle count (AFC), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, free testosterone and total testosterone.
Results:
The changes in the mean AMH, OV and AFC were statistically significant between the sixth and eighteenth months (the end of systemic isotretinoin treatment and 12 months treatment free). The mean AMH, OV and AFC values at the beginning and at the 18th month were statistically similar.
Conclusion:
The deteriorative effects of systemic isotretinoin treatment on ovarian reserve, which can be accepted as an indicator of female fertility, diminish in time.
Related Concept Videos
Acne Infection
Infertility in Females
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of...
Teratogenicity
Oogenesis
Spermatogenesis
Infertility in Males

